8/30 Eating for a Longer Life: Greek Mediterranean Cooking, EVOO & the Science of Living Well

Eating for a Longer Life

Greek Mediterranean  Cooking, EVOO & the Science of Living Well

Sunday August 30, 2:00 to 6:00PM

Guest lecturer Dr. Artemis Morris, ND, Carolann Patterson EVOO tasting, Nancy Kirkiles-Smith Instructor

What if the most powerful medicine available to you was already sitting in your kitchen?

The Mediterranean dietary pattern is one of the most extensively studied approaches to healthy eating in nutrition science, with decades of research demonstrating its association with longer life, healthier aging, and lower rates of cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, type 2 diabetes, and chronic inflammation.

Some of the world’s longest-lived populations—including those on the Greek islands of Ikaria and Crete—have eaten this way for generations. Their traditional cuisine is centered on seasonal vegetables, legumes, wild greens, whole grains, seafood, herbs, and generous amounts of extra virgin olive oil. Rather than following a “diet,” they simply eat according to long-standing cultural traditions that have become models for healthy aging.

This evening brings those traditions into our kitchen while exploring the science behind why they continue to attract the attention of nutrition researchers around the world.

Your Guides for the Evening

Dr. Artemis Morris, ND
Dr. Artemis Morris is a Naturopathic Doctor practicing at the intersection of evidence-based medicine and lifestyle therapeutics. Naturopathic medicine is rooted in a foundational principle: that the body has a profound capacity to heal when given the right conditions — and that food is one of the most powerful of those conditions.

Dr. Morris will begin the evening with an engaging lecture on the science behind the Mediterranean dietary pattern and research on populations with exceptional longevity, with special emphasis on extra virgin olive oil as both a culinary staple and a functional food. She will discuss the role of olive oil polyphenols, dietary patterns, and lifestyle habits in supporting cardiovascular, metabolic, and cognitive health, translating current research into practical strategies you can apply in your own kitchen.

Carolann Patterson
Carolann will lead what may be the most illuminating fifteen minutes of the evening — a guided tasting of Piro extra-virgin olive oil, an exceptional Italian EVOO distinguished by its remarkably high antioxidant and polyphenol content. This is not a generic olive oil tasting. Carolann will walk you through what makes Piro genuinely different from the oils most of us have in our kitchens, what to look for in a high-quality EVOO, and why the difference between an industrial olive oil and one of this caliber is not just a matter of flavor — it is a matter of biological activity. The polyphenols in a premium oil like Piro are measurably more potent, more anti-inflammatory, and more protective than those in a standard supermarket bottle. By the end of the tasting you will understand what you are looking for and why it matters every time you reach for the bottle.

Nancy Kirkiles-Smith, PhD

Following the lecture and tasting, Nancy will lead the hands-on cooking experience, demonstrating how traditional Greek recipes reflect the principles of the Mediterranean dietary pattern.

Nancy holds a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry, completed post-doctoral training in Immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine, and is a Harvard Medical School certified Culinary Health Education Fundamentals instructor and NBC-HWC certified health and wellness coach. She does immune-oncology research at Normunity and is the owner of Weekend Kitchen & Founder of Basil Health.

The Menu

Piro EVOO Tasting with Bread and Olives
Led by Carolann Patterson — a guided tasting of Piro, an exceptional Italian extra-virgin olive oil with unusually high antioxidant and polyphenol content. Learn to taste the difference quality makes and understand why it matters for your health.  We will compare a few EVOO brands to learn different flavor profiles. 

Horta — Wilted Dark Greens with Lemon and EVOO
The everyday dish that has sustained Ikarian centenarians for centuries. Dark bitter greens blanched and dressed generously with olive oil and fresh lemon — medicinal simplicity at its finest.

Maroulosalata — Romaine, Fresh Dill and Scallion Salad
The everyday Greek salad most people outside of Greece have never encountered — crisp romaine with an abundance of fresh dill, scallions, and a bright lemon and olive oil dressing.

Ikarian Black-Eyed Pea Stew with Fennel, Tomato and Dill
One of Ikaria's most beloved longevity dishes — the humble black-eyed pea braised low and slow with fennel, tomato, and two additions of olive oil until deeply savory and deeply satisfying.

Soufico — Ikaria's Slow-Layered Summer Vegetable Stew
Ikaria's national dish. Each vegetable is sautéed separately in olive oil before being layered and slow-cooked together — a technique that produces something far richer and more complex than any shortcut version.

Savoro — Pan-Fried Fish with Vinegar, Garlic, Rosemary and Raisins
A Byzantine-era sweet-sour fish preparation that surprises everyone who tries it. Golden pan-fried fish finished in a sauce of red wine vinegar, garlic, rosemary, and dark raisins — one of the most distinctive and least-known dishes in the Greek repertoire.

Prassorizo — Cretan Leek and Rice with Dill, Lemon and EVOO
A signature dish of Cretan home cooking — rice cooked slowly with a generous quantity of sweet braised leeks, finished with fresh dill, lemon, and a generous pour of raw olive oil. Deeply comforting and virtually unknown outside of Crete.

Greek Yogurt with Raw Honey, Toasted Walnuts and Fresh Seasonal Fruit
The Blue Zone dessert in its simplest, most honest form. Live-culture yogurt, raw honey, omega-3-rich walnuts, and the best fruit of the season — nourishing enough to be medicine, satisfying enough to be dessert.